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Sports

Boys Track: Neuqua, Waubonsie Look Up To Lake Park At UEC Indoor Meet

Neuqua comes in fourth, Waubonsie fifth as Lake Park dominated both divisions of the Upstate Eight at Wednesday's indoor conference meet.

BATAVIA – People have become accustomed to Neuqua Valley’s boys track and field team dominating the Upstate Eight Conference and being a player at the state level for the better part of a decade.

But after graduating nearly all of its state roster from last year’s third-place team in Class 3A, and losing head coach Michael Kennedy to the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship in Washington, D.C. this year, the Wildcats have a whole new feel.

Neuqua still managed to take fourth in the Upstate Eight Conference indoor meet Wednesday. The meet, which brought together both halves of the UEC, was dominated by Lake Park, which won with 91 points. Neuqua scored 51, just ahead of Waubonsie Valley’s 48 points in second place.

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“Without coach here, it’s a lot different,” Neuqua junior Jake Bender said. “We have great coaches helping us out and keeping us focused. We know he’s one of the smartest guys out there. He always comes up with these wild scenarios that always end up working. Hopefully he’ll come back next year for my senior year. I know the coaches are constantly talking to him. He sent us a video earlier this year to get us motivated.”

With the majority of Neuqua’s four medal-winning relay teams, including the state champion 1,600-relay team, graduated, Bender will be one of the main keys to Neuqua’s success this year. Bender cruised to the win in the 400 meters, finishing in 51.53, but finished a disappointing sixth in the 200.

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“The 400 went really well,” Bender said. “I was saving something for the 200. I didn’t go to the fifth gear that I could have. I would have went there if somebody came up on me, but I knew I would be able to chill and win it.”

The Wildcats’ only other win came from the 4x800 relay team in the first race of the night. Ryan Tomasi, Josh Ferguson, Taylor Soltis and Mark Derrick won it in 8:14.63. For Soltis, it was his first race back after dealing with an Achilles’ injury.

“We lost a lot of great guys,” said Jaime Janota, who has taken the reins from Kennedy this spring. “When you lose a great group of seniors, it’s hard to come back from that. I think we’re still strong, but not as strong as we were last year.”

Waubonsie only had one champion at the meet, and that was from senior Danny Tucker in the 200 meters. After a disappointing performance in the 55, a race Tucker won at the meet last year, he came back with authority to win the 200 in 22.90 over 55 champion Emund Kabba of Batavia.

Like Soltis, Tucker has been dealing with an Achilles’ injury he suffered early in the indoor season at Plainfield South. The injury appears to be in the past now.

“I was mad about the 55,” Tucker said. “I kind of slipped on my start. But it was a good comeback. I feel great. I feel like I’m back. I lost my confidence, but it’s good to be back.”

Metea Valley finished in 11th place with only nine points, eight of which came from Joe Stewart’s second-place finish in the 3,200 meters. East Aurora was 13th with one point.

Lake Park sent notice that it may be the favorites in the Upstate Eight Valley come outdoor season. Jeremy Kline set the state record in the shot put (67-6 ½) and Zach Ziemek set meet records in the long jump, pole vault and triple jump.

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